Collaborative Research: Phylogenetics and Key Innovations in Labroid Fishes

这项研究将集中在唇鱼类的进化和多样性-包括慈鲷，唇（濑鱼和鹦嘴鱼），pomacentrids（豆娘鱼）和embiotocids（冲浪）。在超过3,000种，这些是最成功和最多样化的硬骨鱼群体之一。假设将被测试的影响，发现在这些鱼类的咽颚的物种形成率，形态多样性和生态多样性的主要创新。这项研究有两个主要组成部分。本研究将获得9个基因、650个种的DNA序列，以确定唇形科鱼类与其他鱼类的系统发育关系。由此产生的系统发育树将被用来作为基础，具有修改后的咽颚，和近亲，缺乏specialization. major贡献的群体之间的多样性进行比较，这项研究将提高我们的理解，在功能设计的突破如何影响谱系的进化成功。新的见解将获得进化关系中的一个最不了解的分支的bony-fish生命树。将为两名博士后研究人员和一名研究生提供培训和指导。教学模块将从本研究开发的本科生和研究生课程。将制定一个本科生实习计划，以招募来自弱势背景的学生参加本项目提供的研究机会。

This research will focus on the evolution and diversity of labroid fishes - including cichlids, labrids (wrasses and parrotfish), pomacentrids (damselfishes) and embiotocids (surfperch). At over 3,000 species, these are among the most successful and diverse groups of bony fishes. Hypotheses will be tested about the effect of major innovations found in the pharyngeal jaws of these fishes on speciation rate, morphological diversity, and ecological diversity. The research has two major components. DNA sequence from 9 genes and 650 species will be obtained to determine the phylogenetic relationships between labroids and other fishes. The resulting phylogenetic trees will be used as the basis for making comparisons of diversity between groups that possess the modified pharyngeal jaw, and close relatives that lack the specialization.The major contribution of this research will be to improve our understanding of how breakthroughs in functional design impact the evolutionary success of lineages. New insights will be gained into evolutionary relationships within one of the least understood branches of the bony-fish tree of life. Training and mentoring will be provided for two post-doctoral researchers and one graduate student. Teaching modules will be developed from this research for undergraduate and graduate courses. An undergraduate internship program will be developed to recruit students from disadvantaged backgrounds into research opportunities provided by this project.